Zinédine Zidane named France national team head coach

The French Football Federation (FFF) formally named Zinédine Zidane head coach of the France national team on 28 July 2026. He succeeded Didier Deschamps, who had led Les Bleus since 2012 and stepped down after the 2026 World Cup.

Zidane signed a four-year contract running through the 2030 World Cup. The former midfielder, a World Cup winner as a player in 1998, had long been seen as Deschamps' natural successor. Federation president Philippe Diallo has said he first approached Zidane in February 2025.

The appointment marked a first job in international management for Zidane. His only previous coaching experience came at Real Madrid, where he won three Champions League titles, and he had been without a job since leaving the club in 2021. His first match in charge was set for a UEFA Nations League game against Turkey in September.

The change mattered because it opened a new era for one of the world's strongest squads, with the new coach inheriting a talent pipeline fed by French clubs and academies.